Thursday, August 23, 2007

Sabbath

Yesterday, I held my daughter close for a long while. To listen to a particular sadness, to give her my presence. It was healing, just sitting there breathing in rhythm. It was restful. I closed my eyes.

Sometimes we need that. To just close our eyes. To breathe. To love and feel loved. Yes, we need Sabbath.

The Jewish tradition calls the actual Sabbath "shabbat". I like this quote from the memoir Stranger in the Midst, regarding shabbat...

"Shabbat is like nothing else. Time as we know it does not exist for these twenty-four hours, and the worries of the week soon fall away. A feeling of joy appears. The smallest object, a leaf or a spoon, shimmers in a soft light, and the heart opens..." (p.2, Mudhouse Sabbath)

Reflecting on this quote I realize I want to close my eyes and open my heart. Close my eyes to the worries of a whole month, or maybe even a year. I want to pay attention to the smallest objects, and the tiny people in my life. Not just for a sabbath but for a whole week of sabbath. And so it is.

After tomorrow, I will be back in about a week. Maybe a little longer if an embrace of peace will not let me go. Shabbat shalom.

...you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. Psalm 104:13

Fern After Rain photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Seedlings Invitation: If you write a post related to this post and Link It Back Here, let me know and I'll link to yours.

Mmmmm, I felt such peace settle over me as I read this post. This is the place I like to live whenever I can. I was just thinking yesterday, before I left for school, that I'm the kind of being who needs quiet to survive. And then I walked into a classroom where the instructor was blaring some Beatles song that WASN'T a song, it was just a fistful of discordant noise. It was like static floating through the air and getting stuck in your hair and skin! It made me sad. I wanted to cover my ears and shout for him to turn it off because it was hurting my soul.

I hope you find rest through this week, and lots of love to envelop you.

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ...And the God of peace will be with you.

LL -- What a benediction for me as I prepare to settle down for the night. I've been reading The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan about sabbath-keeping. I love the double meaning of the title. It is true that God gives the rest, but there's part of God that we miss if we always approach him in a hurry. We have to slow down to see the rest (the remaining part) of Him. I felt that reality in what you have written here.

What a beutiful post... On another note, I am contacting everyone on the Laced With Grace blogroll to say....

As a contributor to the Laced With Grace Devotional Site, I want thank you for your faithful readership. September is our one-year anniversary. We are please to announce we have a permanent new address. www.lacedwithgrace.com. Please change your link to include this new address.